PMP Exam Outline and Guide

What the PMP Exam Tests:

What the PMP Exam Does Not Test:

What Is A Passing Grade?

Not to scare you right away, but for the cold, hard truth is that many who take the PMP exam do not pass. 

Those who do not pass come from a broad cross-section of people, ranging from those who have approached the exam with extensive preparation, including books and training classes, to those who are barely expended any effort.

If you are one of the many thousands who invested in Projex Academy's PMP Video Masterclass, you are tilting the scales decidedly in your favor!

Although PMI no longer discloses the exact percentage you will need to pass, it is estimated that you need to correctly answer at least 106 questions out of the 175 graded questions on the test. I will give you more information on graded questions later in this article.

That translates to 61%, and if your first reaction to the 61% mark, is that it does not sound very impressive, consider that the 2018 exam revision is tougher than the one many took in years past.

61% is a great score, and each year, tens of thousands of project managers do not pass.

PMP Exam Cryptic Questions Cause Concern

Some people find it very difficult to understand why they cannot study and make a perfect score on the PMP Exam. It is a good thing to want to do well on the exam, but considering the incredible breadth of material, simply passing is a terrific accomplishment!

Experts disagree over some of the questions, and there will be some that you will feel absolutely certain you got right, that you likely missed.

This has more to do with the way the questions are constructed and worded than it does with the study effort you put in, your intellectual powers, or your test taking abilities.

Your goal in taking the PMP Exam should be to do your absolute best and to make sure that your best effort falls within PMI's passing score limits.

The PMP Exam Material

Your PMP exam will we made up of exactly 200 questions, covering a variety of material, but only 175 of those questions will count toward your score.

The other 25 questions are considered experimental questions that PMI is evaluating for use on future exams. The good news is that these 25 questions do not count toward your grade.

The bad news is that you will never know which questions count and which do not since they are scattered randomly throughout the exam.

What the PMP Exam Does Not Test:

The following diagram illustrates the ratio of questions within the PMP exam that relates to which specific process group. PMI does provide some guidelines as to how the material will be presented. The material and questions are allocated as shown in the table below:

This fact shocks many people preparing for the exam, but The PMBOK Guide - which stands for a Guide to the Project Management Body Of Knowledge, is not a single study source for the PMP exam.

The PMBOK Guide does provide an excellent definition and presentation of the overall processes, but it does not give you much help in knowing how that material will translate to the exam.

Many of those who do not pass the PMP exam tried to use The PMBOK Guide as a study guide, and were surprised that there were questions, terms, and concepts on the exam that were not in The PMBOK Guide.

Getting To The PMP Exam Test (Application)

It is highly recommended that you join the Project Management Institute (PMI) prior to signing up to take the test. At the current time, the new members fee is only $139.00 ($129.00 membership plus $10.00 new member activation fee)

Application may be valued online at www.pmi.org, or you may obtain an application form from PMI by calling (610) 356-4600

After joining PMI, you will receive a membership number that you can use to receive $150.00 discount on the exams non-member fee, so you instantly save money by joining.

The examinations fee will be $405.00 for a member in good standing. If you elect not to join PMI, it will cost $555.00 to apply to take the test.

The Benefits of joining PMI

In addition to the financial advantage, there are many other benefits that come with joining PMI, including a subscription to PMI's publications, PM Network, and PM Today, discounts on books and PMI-sponsored events, and access to wealth of information in the field of project management.

When you get ready to apply for eligibility for PMP certification, you can apply online or use printed forms. If at all possible, you should apply online.

Depending on the time of year, wait times have been known to stretch out for weeks when using printed forms through the mail, while online applicants usually report turnaround times within 1 to 2 weeks.

The length of time can vary, depending on the volume of applications that PMI is processing. In any case, you must have your letter of eligibility from PMI to sit for the PMP certification exam.

Are You Eligible for the PMP Exam?

To be eligible for PMP certification, you will need to demonstrate that you meet certain minimum criteria. The current qualifications that PMI requires all summarized below:

In short, if you hold a university degree, you should apply under the first category. If not, you should apply under the second category.

Requirements to apply with a college diploma

Note that the Projex Academy PMP Masterclass will automatically provide you with your 35 hours (Professional Development Units - PDU's)

Requirements to apply without a college diploma

PMP Exam - Ongoing Education

PMP's are expected to demonstrate not only knowledge and experience but also the ongoing commitment to the field of project management.

To promote such commitment, PMI requires that all PMP's maintain the certification status by completing at least 60 professional development units (PDU's) every 36 months.

The requirements for PDU's are defined in further detail in the PMI Continuing Certification Requirements Program Handbook given to all PMP's, and these requirements are similar in nature to requirements that legal, medical, and other professions have adopted.

In order to maintain the value of this certification, PMI requires its PMP's to maintain a project management focus and a continued commitment to the field of project management.

The PMP Testing Environment

The PMP certification exam is administered in a formal environment. There is no talking during the exam, and you cannot bring notes, books, paper, cell phones, PDAs, or many types of calculators into the examination room with you.

The PMP is considered a "high stakes" or " high security" exam and is very carefully monitored. Test takers are constantly observed by the test proctor and are on recorded video and audio surveillance.

This can be distracting as well as unnerving, so it is important to be mentally prepared as you will into the exam.

How Is The PMP Exam Test Delivered?

The test is delivered on a Windows-based PC that runs a secure, proprietary testing application. The computer setup is very straightforward, with the mouse and keyboard and a simple graphical user interface used to display the test.

PMI can arrange special accommodations for those test takers who have special physical needs. To get a feel for how the real PMP exam looks and feels, use the Projex Academy Online PMP Exam Simulator that is provided free with the PMP Masterclass.

Recently, PMI has also made provision for certain test takers who do not live near a testing center to take a paper version of the exam. 

What Happens After The PMP Exam Test?

The exam ends either when your 4 hour time limit has been reached (more on this shortly), or when you choose to end the exam. Once the exam is over, you will know your score within a few seconds, and those results are electronically transmitted to PMI.

If you passed, you are immediately a PMP, and you may start using that designation after your name. PMI will mail you all of the official information, including your PMP Lapel pin and certificate within a few weeks.

If you did not pass, you may take the exam but to three times in a calendar year. If you do not pass on your third attempt, you must wait one year from your last attempt to reapply.

The PMP Exam Time Limit

Taking a test while the clock is ticking can be unnerving. The PMP exam is a long exam, but you are given a significant block of time to complete the test.

From the time you begin the exam, you will have 240 minutes (4 hours) to finish. For most people, this is enough time to take the tests and review the answers. The allocation works out to 72 seconds for each question if no breaks are taken.

While a few of the more complicated questions will certainly require more than 72 seconds, both will take much less time.